The early presidential elections in Iran in 1403 (2024-2025) are noteworthy in several aspects. According to official statistics, a considerable portion of the population did not participate in these elections. Additionally, the lack of accurate statistics on gender and sexuality distinguishes these elections from those in other parts of the world.

According to official admissions, over the past 45 years, from the first presidential election (January 25, 1980) until now, political participation and participation in elections has been on a downward trend. Although in all countries of the world, the number of voters decreases every year, but this downward trend puts a country that claims to be a religious democracy and maximum support in a deeper challenge compared to other countries.

A study on the reasons for the declining trend of global participation, in the statistical databases and information banks in 1999, was initiated and valuable statistics on the legitimacy of elections in various countries were presented. Some of these reasons include:

1- Lack of interest in political participation through traditional methods of voting (casting ballots into boxes).

2- Frustration and distrust towards political systems in responding to demands, dissatisfaction with institutions and traditional leadership, and overall apathy among voters.

3- Engineering elections in authoritarian political systems.

4- Changes in social cohesion and population structure, for example, population aging.

5- Obstacles to voting and restrictive laws, as well as creating difficult conditions for voters.

The above cases can be considered as some of the reasons for the decrease in political participation in different countries; reasons that mainly lead to a decrease in participation in elections. However, in some countries, this trend has been increasing in different years. For example, in the 2020 US presidential election, we witnessed the highest participation, from 1900 to that day, with a turnout of 66.5% of eligible voters.

Official election statistics in the Islamic Republic – from the beginning of establishment until now – are very limited. In the recent elections, only in the province of Kermanshah, statistics were mentioned based on gender, age, etc. According to these statistics in this province: “More than 54% of men and 46% of women have voted, and the most active age group was announced to be 35-45 years old.” This is while in many countries around the world, statistics are published based on age, race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, etc., as these statistical data can be valuable for politicians and their strategies.

In many countries, including America, women have a higher participation in elections compared to men, so that women can have a significant impact on the overall election process. Women in America have had a higher participation in elections since 1980. In the 2016 election, women’s votes were decisive in determining the fate of Donald Trump. In the 2020 election, it was announced that women had a participation rate of 68% and men had a participation rate of 65%.

What happened in the 1403 elections in Iran, the lack of participation of a large portion of eligible voters, affected the legitimacy of the system. People showed with this civil action that they have no hope or trust in the government to deal with the crises that burden the people, especially ethnic, religious, sexual and gender minorities, and half of the Iranian society – women and girls. Despite election promises and various tricks and incentives to participate in the elections, people said “no” to the sham elections through civil disobedience and resistance.

In the recent election, a large portion of the people who have experienced economic pressures, poverty, unemployment, oppression, and exploitation, including families of victims, women and men whose voices were not heard in the year 1401, women and girls whose peace and tranquility were violated by the enforcers of hijab, political prisoners, labor and teacher organizations, and others, encouraged people to not participate in the elections with loud voices. Even some of those who were in positions of power in the government and politics until yesterday also said “no” to the elections.

Masoud Pezeshkian, the current president, invested more than other election candidates in attracting women’s support for his election goals. In one of his statements, he emphasized, “By adopting family-friendly policies and providing facilities for work-life balance, which is a factor in family stability, I will prioritize empowering and capacity-building of women and family-based organizations.”

Zahra Behrouz Azar, former director of women’s affairs at the Tehran Municipality and member of the Women’s Deputy of Masoud Physicians, says: “What exists in the discourse of physicians and is constantly repeated is the central core and human perspective, eliminating discrimination in various forms and promoting gender justice.”

In the third presidential debate, all candidates promised to “respect women” and improve the “virtual space”. Masoud Pezeshkian stated regarding mandatory hijab: “The issue of clothing and hijab cannot be solved with orders and laws.” He suggested for solving this issue: “We must start with education from schools and kindergartens, we must teach equality” and added: “We have raised these girls, foreigners who have not raised them.” And in another place, he expressed his views on individual freedoms: “We are all against internet filtering and we are all supporters of women’s dignity. Who allows the hijab enforcers?” Atieh Nezhadi, a researcher and deputy for women in the eleventh government and a member of Masoud Pezeshkian’s women’s office, also said: “The hijab bill must be reviewed, if this bill does not become a law, it will be rejected and reviewed again, because the consequences of

These election promises, after years of fading from the revolution, will not be responsive to the needs of women – women who had hoped to achieve their desires by casting their votes – anymore. These expectations and responses have already begun. The realization of these desires has been clearly stated in a letter from the Women’s Commission of Baran Foundation, addressed to Masoud Pezeshkian: “Our demand includes a 30% share for women in managerial positions and job opportunities, respect for the choice of lifestyle for Iranian girls, lifting the burden of security and law enforcement pressures, providing a safe spiritual and social environment for families, and passing an effective law to combat violence against women.”

Despite what has been said, the main question is: Can the engineered elections, which are hoped to lead to negotiations and alleviate the economic pressures of the organized government, address the demands of the Iranian society? Can Masoud Pezeshkian, considering the tensions created by the government around him, fulfill the promises he made in response to the people’s demands? And the more important question is, have Masoud Pezeshkian and other holders of power in the past 45 years truly had a political desire to respect women’s rights, achieve economic and social equality for the people, especially the majority of the deprived?

The reality is that women’s political participation in Iran is against authoritarianism; both in the private sphere of the family and in the public sphere of society. The collective wisdom of women has formed the belief that elections and the ballot box will not change their fate and will not facilitate the movement towards gender equality. The joint statement of activists of the “Women’s Freedom Movement”, women’s movements, and student and student organizations regarding the 1403 presidential election emphasizes that “our vote and choice is the revolution of women’s freedom, which we declare and make known through our steps and cries in the streets, universities, and schools.”

Until we split open the sky and create a new design in it.